When do you plant strawberries? Information about the best planting time

Strawberries are herbaceous plants whose fruits grow near the ground. Of the numerous species, only cultivated strawberries and wild and monthly strawberries are of interest for cultivation in the home garden. In addition, you have the choice between once, several times - and always bearing varieties. A distinction is also made according to the quality of the planting material or after how they were raised. Both the variety and the plant quality determine the best time to plant.

Best planting time for strawberries

With the wide range of strawberry plants on offer, it is easy to lose track. The most important part of strawberry cultivation is undoubtedly the cultivated or garden strawberry, which practically plays a leading role. They include both the once-bearing and multiple (repeated) bearing varieties. The once-bearing varieties are further subdivided into early, mid-early and late varieties. Harvest time is from May to June/July.

In contrast, strawberries that bear fruit several times a year bear fruit twice a year, once in June/July and, after a short period of rest, again in August/September. The situation is different again with the always-bearing monthly strawberries, those from the local wild strawberry descended and from June to October incessantly tasty but comparatively small fruits bring forth. But not only the respective variety but also the plants themselves have a decisive influence on the best time for planting.

Once bearing strawberries

One-bearing strawberry varieties are most commonly grown in the garden. The best time to plant these varieties is in summer, from mid-July to late August. Small and cheaper plants can also be used for planting in summer. Planted in summer, strawberries usually bear best in the second and third year after planting.

• Planting in the warm season makes the most sense
• This allows strawberry plants to grow well until the first frost
• They put on the new flower buds between the end of August and October
• In principle, planting in spring is also possible
• Yields are lower, however, and fruits are significantly smaller
• Fall planting is not recommended
• Young plants could easily rot in the soil

When the young plants are planted, many of their fine roots are usually torn off. Then the plant needs some time to be able to form new roots and grow again. This works best in warmer temperatures. For this reason, autumn planting is not recommended. To obtain young plants, it makes sense to mark those plants that were most productive and use their offshoots for propagation.

Repeatedly bearing (reblooming) strawberries

remounting or Varieties that bear fruit several times can be harvested twice a year, with the second harvest in late summer usually being significantly smaller than the first in early summer. The fruits aren't that big either. Varieties that bear several crops can be planted from August to September. Planting in spring is also possible. But then the plants should be bigger. On the other hand, if they are very small, you have to forgo a harvest this year.

Always bearing varieties

The ever-bearing varieties include monthly strawberries and wild strawberries. The monthly strawberry does not descend from the garden strawberry, but has emerged from breeding with the wild strawberry. These everbearing strawberries produce a variety of very tasty fruits throughout the summer. They bear fruit over several months, usually from June to October. However, the fruits of both species are significantly smaller than those of the garden strawberry. The best time to plant both monthly and wild strawberries is in the spring between April and the beginning of May, possibly even into midsummer.

Planting times according to root qualities

The best time to plant strawberries depends not only on the variety but also on the seedlings. Plants with pot balls, bare-root and so-called frigo plants are commercially available, some of which differ in the planting times.

Plants with root ball

• Plants with root balls usually grown in small peat pots
• Are thus permanently supplied with all important nutrients
• Can be planted immediately after purchase or stored for a period of time
• When buying, pay attention to healthy and vital plants
• You should have at least three fully formed leaves
• Root systems should be well developed and the heart of the plants should be intact
• Plant the plants around July with the rotting clay pot
• It can be harvested the following year

Bare root plants

Bare root strawberry plants are commercially available as green strawberry plants. They are harvested from the propagation field around August, after which they are wrapped in foil in batches and sold. They should not be stored for long, but planted as quickly as possible. Accordingly, the best time for planting is from August to September. Already in the following year they bear fruit for the first time.

Frigo plants

The so-called Frigo plants are normal strawberry plants that have only been overwintered artificially. The foothills of the strawberry plants are only separated from the mother plants in winter. This gives them plenty of time to form the new flowering plants. The leaves are then removed and the plantlets are planted until spring at approx. 1.5 ºC, the winter period is practically artificially extended.

If they are then planted in spring between April and July, they will sprout again immediately and can be harvested about nine weeks later. In contrast, with normal strawberry plants planted in spring, a significantly lower harvest can be expected.

Conclusion

Even if the planting time of strawberries varies from variety to variety and depending on the type of seedlings, summer is the best time to do so. When planting in spring, you should make sure that the plants have already reached a certain size. Planting in autumn is not recommended, in this case the young seedlings could rot quickly. If you want to harvest fruit over a longer period of time, you can plant different varieties.

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